Often Irreverent, Mostly Rational Blog for Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays. One Day, We'll Be Perfect.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Stop dragging my heart around

If the past two games had us yelling at the TV screen and pulling our hair out, can you imagine what they would have been like if the Jays were playing for something more than pride?

Last night's 5-4 14 inning marathon sent us into conniption fits, especially when Aaron Hill flubbed the ninth inning game that would have sealed the deal.

In today's 12-11 extra inning loss to the Yanks, it was Matt Stairs getting called out on a close play at the plate that sent us into hysterics. We're actually pretty sure that he was out, but our fandom and wishful thinking had us convinced that he beat the tag.

We can only imagine how physically ill we'd be right now if this team were on the brink of a playoff spot and lost like that.

Wouldn't that be awesome?

The Return of the Gas Can: The Jays did a good job of hiding away the Gas Can for sixteen days, but Josh Towers managed to get out of the bullpen, see his shadow, give up the winning run, and then scamper back to the security of the clubhouse, where he can tell himself what an amazing control pitcher he is, and what a chump Tony Pena is.

Three more to the sick bay: We're wondering just who the hell the Jays are going to run out there in the final week, given that Shaun Marcum, Frank Thomas and Scott Downs all left the game with injuries today. We guess we're going to have to get used to the John-Ford Griffins and Joe Ingletts of the world for the next couple of series.

2 comments:

Matt Stairs was so freaking safe it wasn't funny. His thigh was on the plate before Posada touched his chest. Two extra inning games in under 24 hours is very maddening. And Sparrow (calling him gascan is too mean for me) pitched like he always does, almost good, but totally on the edge, and then sucky. His longer hair and beard were fun though, like he had been lost in the wilderness.

OK, granted Josh Towers is probably rightly not part of the our beloved birds long-term plans, but I really do feel he is made into a scape-goat too often. Yes his consecutive 8-1, 9-9 and 13-12 seasons gave us a glimmer of "Hey, he might not suck" but I really don't know what the Jays fan base expects from this guy.

He was pitching his 2nd inning in a month against the NYY ... yea, he gave up a run. Most guys would.

The most anyone was expecting from this guy this season was this: To be the 4th or 5th starter on a slightly above .500 team with a dangerous offense and patch-work rotation. (Not the reality of what happened, but I'd say this is what most expected at the start of the season). Having said that he is 5-10, has a 5.40 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 3.5 K:BB ratio and 1.5 HR/9. Is that really any different from Cleveland's (best record in baseball) fifth starter Cliff Lee at 5-8, 6.40 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 1.8 K:BB, 1.6 HR/9.

I know he's not the greatest pitcher out there, but he's met even the most optimistic expectation this year. Yes, he's had the inopportune bad game here and there but so have Jansen, Accardo and even Downs (ok, he only had one - Aug 6) and they've rightly been praised for how well they've done.

I'm not saying Towers is fantastic, but he's been a decent 5th starter when needed and probably could have done more out of the bullpen had he been asked to. I just wish he wasn't everyone's favourite whipping boy.